Hi there - I'd like to request the following information under the Freedom of Information Act, about the impact of delays to Crossrail on step-free access across London's transport network. I'd like to know: - What impact are delays to Crossrail having on commitments in previous TfL business plans, to make 50% of all stations fully accessible by 2020, and more than 40% of tube stations by 2020/2021? If these targets have changed, what are they now? - Is there still a commitment to make 100% of stations on the Elizabeth Line step-free to platform level? If not, why not, and what proportion of stations will now be step-free? - Has the budget to provide step-free access as part of the Crossrail project been fully protected? If not, what has it been spent on? - I attach a response from an FOI to TfL answered in January 2016, with a list of tube and overground stations intended to be made step free and the dates for each. Can you tell me how many of the following have been delivered on time, and for any that have changed can you give me the revised dates? Tube · 2015/16: Tower Hill, Vauxhall · 2016/17: Ealing Broadway, Tottenham Court Road · 2017/18: Bank (Waterloo & City only), Bond Street, Bromley-by-Bow, Whitechapel · 2018/19: Barbican, Finsbury Park, Moorgate, Paddington (to Bakerloo line only via the Crossrail station), Victoria · 2019/20: Elephant & Castle (Northern line only), Queen’s Park, Cassiobridge, Watford Junction, Watford Vicarage Road · 2020/21: Battersea, Nine Elms · 2021/22: Bank (Northern line added, DLR enhanced) · 2023/24: Camden Town, Holborn Total stations made step-free by 2023/24: 19 fully, four partially London Overground · 2015/16: South Tottenham · By 2019: Blackhorse Road, Brondesbury, Peckham Rye, Queen’s Park, Seven Sisters Total stations made step-free by 2019/20: Six - I attach the same for a list of Crossrail stations - the following stations and dates were previously committed to on TfL's 'Step-Free Access' website page. I believe these have already changed - can you tell me which of these plans have been delivered, and which have not, and what the revised plans are? 2018/19: Forest Gate, Gidea Park, Goodmayes, Harold Wood, Maryland, Seven Kings, Burnham and Manor Park 2019/20: Ilford, Acton Main Line, Ealing Broadway, West Ealing, Hanwell, Southall, Hayes & Harlington, Hanwell, Iver, Langley and Taplow 2020/21: Romford

---

TfL Ref: 1156-1920

Thank you for your request received by us on 22 July 2019 asking for information about step-free station access across the transport network.

Your request has been considered in accordance with the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act and our information access policy.  I can confirm that we hold the information you require. You asked:

- What impact are delays to Crossrail having on commitments in previous TfL business plans, to make 50% of all stations fully accessible by 2020, and more than 40% of tube stations by 2020/2021? If these targets have changed, what are they now?

In December 2016, we announced that 40% of the Tube network would be step free by 2022. However, the lack of certainty around capital investment from Government meant that some projects and priorities have had to be adapted in TfL’s latest Business Plan, which can be found here:  https://tfl.gov.uk/corporate/publications-and-reports/business-plan

TfL is investing substantially in accessibility and 15 stations will still be made step-free by Spring 2020 as planned. A further six stations are now expected to be completed by Spring 2024. We are also working to make additional stations step free through third-party developer funding as well as using innovative, lower-cost ways to make our network more accessible.

- Is there still a commitment to make 100% of stations on the Elizabeth Line step-free to platform level? If not, why not, and what proportion of stations will now be step-free?

- Has the budget to provide step-free access as part of the Crossrail project been fully protected? If not, what has it been spent on?

All 41 of the stations on the Elizabeth line will be step-free to platform level with signage and information to ensure that all passengers can get around the stations quickly and easily. All stations between Paddington to Abbey Wood will be fully accessible from street to train. Further information on Elizabeth line accessibility can be found via the following link: http://www.crossrail.co.uk/route/accessible-stations-and-trains

- I attach a response from an FOI to TfL answered in January 2016, with a list of tube and overground stations intended to be made step free and the dates for each. Can you tell me how many of the following have been delivered on time, and for any that have changed can you give me the revised dates?

Tube

· 2015/16: Tower Hill, Vauxhall

Yes, both stations step free access upgrades were delivered in 2016

· 2016/17: Ealing Broadway, Tottenham Court Road

Ealing Broadway will be step-free from platform to street by December 2020 and Tottenham Court Road was made step-free in 2017.

· 2017/18: Bank (Waterloo & City only), Bond Street,

Bank (Waterloo & City only) was made step-free in 2018, whilst Bond Street station was 2017

Bromley-by-Bow, Whitechapel

Bromley-by-Bow was made step-free 2018.  Whitechapel will be step-free when the Elizabeth line serves the station.

· 2018/19: Barbican, Finsbury Park, Moorgate, Paddington (to Bakerloo line only via the Crossrail station), Victoria

We unaware of any Step Free Access scheme for the existing Barbican station. Finsbury Park was delivered in 2019.  At Moorgate the new combined ticket hall at Moorgate will provide step free access to the Northern line platforms and Paddington (to Bakerloo line only via the Crossrail station) will be made step free when the Elizabeth line serves the station.

Victoria was made step free in 2018.

· 2019/20: Elephant & Castle (Northern line only), Queen’s Park, Cassiobridge, Watford Junction, Watford Vicarage Road

We can advise that Elephant & Castle has been delayed because of delays with the wider Elephant & Castle Town Centre Regeneration Project. The step free access work at the other stations referred to were intended to be part of the Metropolitan Line extension which is no longer going ahead.

· 2020/21: Battersea, Nine Elms

This will be step free on opening in 2021.

· 2021/22: Bank (Northern line added, DLR enhanced)

Yes, the above date still applies.

· 2023/24: Camden Town, Holborn
As our 2018 Business Plan explains, we are reliant on steady and sustained investment from the Government to support major capital investment. We currently have no certainty of capital funding beyond 2020. Over the next year, we will be making the case to Government for confirmed capital support to enable critical infrastructure projects, including the station capacity upgrades of Holborn and Camden.
In the meantime, we continue to look to identify third-party funding and work with potential development partners, which could help fund these station capacity upgrades.
Total stations made step-free by 2023/24: 19 fully, four partially

The table below shows the latest expected position for National Rail, London Overground and TfL Rail stations by the end of 2020:

 Mode  
 All National Rail Stations served by London Overground Stations served by TfL Rail
Total with SFA (London) 187 59 23
Total without SFA (London) 146 52 1
Total stations (London) 333 111 24
Percentage with SFA (London) 56% 53% 96%

Source: L:\07 Strategy\02 Themes\21 Accessibility & social inclusion\Access for All\A4A CP6\[190802

The target has now changed and is enumerated differently under the current Mayor’s Transport Strategy. A description of the new target is provided below:

“On average, the amount of time spent travelling to make a journey on the step-free network compared to that same journey on the full network will reduce by 60% by 2041, compared to a 2015 baseline”. The change in journey time referred to is calculated at the network level across all journeys made rather than by individual journey.

London Overground

· 2015/16: South Tottenham

This was delivered in April 2016

· By 2019: Blackhorse Road, Brondesbury, Peckham Rye, Queen’s
Park, Seven Sisters

Blackhorse Road was delivered on schedule during Spring 2018. The proposed step free access schemes have not been delivered at the other stations yet. There are currently no firm dates for delivery of step-free access at these stations; work on design and feasibility is ongoing at these locations
.
- I attach the same for a list of Crossrail stations - the following stations and dates were previously committed to on TfL's 'Step-Free Access' website page. I believe these have already changed - can you tell me which of these plans have been delivered, and which have not, and what the revised plans are?

2018/19: Forest Gate, Gidea Park, Goodmayes, Harold Wood, Maryland, Seven Kings, Burnham and Manor Park
2019/20: Ilford, Acton Main Line, Ealing Broadway, West Ealing, Hanwell, Southall, Hayes & Harlington, Hanwell, Iver, Langley and Taplow
2020/21: Romford

When the railway fully opens all Elizabeth line stations will be step-free from platform to street

The following stations are already step-free from platform to street:

• Shenfield

• Brentwood (Platforms 1,2, 3 & 4).

• Chadwell Heath

• Goodmayes

• Seven Kings

• Manor Park

• Forest Gate

• Maryland

• Abbey Wood

• Reading

• Twyford

• Slough

• Maidenhead

• Reading

• Heathrow station is also step-free from street to train.

Nearing completion:

• Gidea Park

The following stations will be step free by early 2020:

• Harold Wood
• Hanwell
• Taplow
• Iver
• Langley

The new stations in the central section will be step-free from train to street when the central section opens. Crossrail Ltd announced in April the opening window for the central section as October 2020 to March 2021. Bond Street will not open at this time but will open as soon as possible after

They are:      

• Paddington;

• Bond Street

• Tottenham Court Road;

• Farringdon

• Liverpool Street

• Whitechapel

• Canary Wharf

• Custom House

• Woolwich

The remaining stations will be step-free from platform to street by December 2020:

• Ilford

• Romford

• Acton Main Line

• Ealing Broadway

• West Ealing

• Southall

• Hayes & Harlington

• West Drayton

• Burnham

If this is not the information you are looking for, or if you are unable to access it for any reason, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Please see the attached information sheet for details of your right to appeal as well as information on copyright and what to do if you would like to re-use any of the information we have disclosed.

Yours sincerely

Jasmine Howard
FOI Case Officer
Information Governance
Transport For London

 

Back to top

---